Best of 2016: Cemeteries
I think we can all agree that 2016 seemed like it was quite the garbage fire of a year—even if historically there have been objectively worse times to be alive. 2016, for all of its faults, did have some bright spots, and in an effort to not end this year in a pit of despair, I thought I'd do some "best of" lists because who doesn't love lists! First up: cemeteries!
2016 is the year I became obsessed with seeking out non-traditional cemeteries, or places with a little extra something to make them special. Abandoned places will always be interesting to me, and although Bayside is currently in better condition than it's been in the past, it's still a little rough around the edges. I loved it so much I visited it twice—once in the summer and again the fall—and I can't wait to see it covered in snow.
I planned a stop at Old Burial Hill on our way to Salem based solely on the fact that it was a filming location for the Halloween masterpiece, Hocus Pocus. The shear number of amazing skull-emblazoned tombstones may be what makes Old Burial Hill impressive, but the beautiful location, history and incredible condition of all the stones makes it unforgettable.
I never really considered it an attainable goal to wish for a house that comes with its own backyard cemetery until we toured the Lent-Riker-Smith Homestead. The family cemetery is small—with 131 residents—but historic, beautiful and fascinating.
Eastern Cemetery was a highlight in a road trip full of highlights. Like Bayside, it was once abandoned and overgrown, but is now being tended to by a group of volunteers. Eastern also has one of the craziest backstories I've ever heard, and I'll be eternally grateful to the kind man who stopped us to share its sordid tale.
I'm still shocked a little bit embarrassed that it took me so long to explore Most Holy Trinity—especially when I discovered that it was just a few blocks from one of my best friend's new apartment. Fun fact: a body was dumped on the cemetery grounds and discovered only a few days after my visit (inspiring variations on this excellent headline: Body Found in Cemetery). I've only gone once this year, but like Bayside I suspect that Most Holy Trinity will be part of my regular cemetery visits in 2017.